cadet blogs

I just completed my last summer as a cadet, and it was one of the best summers I have ever had during my time here. I did so many things that before joining the Coast Guard I never would have thought I would have the opportunity to do. I started my summer out in Marina Del Rey, California where I learned a lot about the Coast Guard and the different missions that we accomplish. The crew of the CGC Halibut helped me broaden my knowledge of the Coast Guard and discover what I want to do in the future as an officer. While on the Halibut I got to have many different experiences such as helping with drug busts and standing watch while in port. It was an amazing chance to see what happens in the fleet everyday.

After leaving the Halibut, I boarded the CGC Eagle. Eagle is the Coast Guard’s training vessel that all 3/c cadets go on to learn about seamanship and life on the water. As a 1/c cadet aboard Eagle, I was given the Ensign experience where I had the opportunity to lead a division, obtain qualifications, and work on extra projects that were assigned to me. I never had a moment to spare, and my classmates and I were always diligently working to make sure that by the end of the summer we were successful in all of the jobs we were given. We did have a few days during three different port calls where we could take some time off and relax. We first pulled into Bermuda, where the sand was pink and the sun was always shining. Bermuda is a beautiful island and it was a once in lifetime opportunity to visit. After we left Bermuda we travelled to Saint Pierre, France, a small island territory of France. While there we celebrated Bastille Day, which was amazing to see another country celebrate their independence and to participate in the festivities. Our last stop was Halifax, Nova Scotia where we visited the Halifax Citadel and walked around the city looking at all of the history that it had.

This summer has been amazing and I now have three weeks to relax and spend time with my family before I return to the Academy for my final year before I am commissioned as an officer in the Coast Guard. Time has flown by while I have been at the Academy, and this year I plan to make the most of all of the time that I have left.